IS' 



in one bee out of five examined, but no developmental stages were 

 observed. On nth June the parasite in the spore stage only was 

 again found in a single bee. On 13th July, 25th July, 2nd August 

 and 3rd September examinations were made, all of which yielded 

 negative results. 



On the nth June a few crawling bees were observed in front 

 of this stock (No. 12), and from this date onward this continued 

 until September. The numbers were always small, and the 

 increase of the stock was not markedly impaired. At the same 

 time the indications undoubtedly suggested isle-of-Wight disease. 

 Most of those which crawled were opened and examined, and in 

 no case were the distinctive appearances of advanced Nosetna 

 infection ever seen. The stock increased from five frames to nine, 

 with brood upon six, at the beginning of September. At 

 the end of this month the hive was fully crowded with bees on ten 

 frames. Syrup was fed to the bees and the stock put up for winter. 



On the 17th December 65 bees were subjected to search, a few 

 individually, and others by pulping their chyle stomachs. In no 

 instance was Nosetna apis observed. 



(10 teased collectively, 3 individually — 3 smears. 



13 ., 3 » 



39 „ 3 „ All negative.) 



By the lOth of January the stock had died out, confirming the 

 suspicion that Isle-of-Wight disease was present. 



This record illustrates the failure oi Nosetna to establish itself 

 upon a stock of Punic bees after the stock had been fed with infected 

 material in summer, while meantime Isle-of-Wight disease de- 

 veloped. It is noteworthy that even in these unfavourable circum- 

 stances Nosetna did not spread in the stock. 



Experiments showing that Isle-of-Wight Disease is Different 

 from Nosema Disease. — With a view to further establishing the 

 separate nature of the condition known as Isle-of-Wight disease 

 and Nosema disease, we carried out the following experiments : — 



No. 10. A small lot of bees covering less than one frame was 

 taken from a stock showing the symptoms associated with Isle-of- 

 Wight disease and placed on 31st January 1918 in an observation 

 hive which had recently been occupied by a Nosetna infected lot of 

 bees. The hive was not disinfected nor cleaned. The Isle-of- 

 Wit;;ht diseased stock had been carefully examined for Nosetna 

 infection previously. No stage of the parasite was ever seen, and 

 the stock was therefore held to be free from this parasite. On the 

 5th February these bees were fed with candy contaminated with 

 Nosema spores from the former occupants of the hive, and on the 

 8th a queen surviving from a stock which had died out with 

 Isle-of-Wight disease was introduced. The bees at introduction 

 were very dull, most of them showing weakness and falling readily 

 off the frame. Dysentery was present also. During the early days 

 of the experiment they became livelier and improved in appearance, 

 and dysentery was much reduced. 



On 22nd February seven live bees were taken for examination 

 and six of them were found heavily infected with spores of Nosema. 



